My overall point being, name another rookie who Doc has given significant time to their rookie season. Maybe back in Rondo's first year, but since the big three got together he has barely let rookies see the floor.

yup very true. this is the main reason why I made the claim a few weeks back that we're showcasing Sully for a mid-season trade.

although now the roster cuts concern me. was hoping Ainge was working a 3 nickels for a quarter type scenario...

I like that someone brought out the fact that Sullinger is still a rookie. Which one would I part with? Bradley. Bradley is two years closer to a big pay day. Sully is already a contributing member of the Celtics. Sully has already played in more games as a rookie than Bradley did his entire rookie season.

Do you know how good a rookie has to be to play meaningful minutes for Doc Rivers? It is practically unheard of since the Big Three got together.

I think we see what Bradley is and what he is going to be, and I like it don't get me wrong. But we are just now seeing the very tip of the iceberg that is Sully's game. The Celtics go to him maybe twice a game on the post and he rarely looks to score. When he gets the green light and the refs start giving him some respect his game should easily go up another level or two.

Bear in mind, Bradley had Rondo and Ray Allen in 2010-11 ahead of him at the 1/2. A struggling Bass was ahead of Sullinger.

Glen Davis even got some minutes as a rookie during the title run.

I still agree that Sullinger is a player though. And he has potential to be as impactful overall as Bradley.

Glenn Davis played 13 minutes a game in his rookie season. And most of that was 4th quarter mop up duty as we were blowing teams out almost nightly back then. Avery's rookie year Nate Robinson was getting 18min/game.

Sullinger has Bass, Collins, Green, KG, and Wilcox fighting for playing time. All veterans and all outplayed with the exception of KG.

Plus you have to factor in that refs haven't been kind to Sully and he has lost some playing time to questionable fouls.

My overall point being, name another rookie who Doc has given significant time to their rookie season. Maybe back in Rondo's first year, but since the big three got together he has barely let rookies see the floor.

I recall Davis getting minutes in meaningful parts of many games as a rookie. He and Powe were practically taking turns as the primary backup to KG.

As for this year, Green stinks as a 4, KG is limited to 29 minutes per night, Wilcox is injured, Collins is old and pretty bad, and Bass (a career backup forced to be a starter) was in a funk for a month or 2. The 4/5 positions are at their weakest since the big 3 era started.

Nonetheless, I am agreeing that Sullinger is good. I just wouldn't make too big a deal about how quickly he has earned minutes yet, when comparing his ceiling to Bradley's. Also, Bradley was a raw freshman when he entered the NBA. Sullinger, a sophomore. That 1 year makes a pretty big difference.

Also, I'm not convinced Sullinger can be a scorer on the block. I just don't think he his big or fast enough. But I really like his rebounding and smart instincts as a role player. I'm glad he's a Celtic.

I like that someone brought out the fact that Sullinger is still a rookie. Which one would I part with? Bradley. Bradley is two years closer to a big pay day. Sully is already a contributing member of the Celtics. Sully has already played in more games as a rookie than Bradley did his entire rookie season.

Do you know how good a rookie has to be to play meaningful minutes for Doc Rivers? It is practically unheard of since the Big Three got together.

I think we see what Bradley is and what he is going to be, and I like it don't get me wrong. But we are just now seeing the very tip of the iceberg that is Sully's game. The Celtics go to him maybe twice a game on the post and he rarely looks to score. When he gets the green light and the refs start giving him some respect his game should easily go up another level or two.

Bear in mind, Bradley had Rondo and Ray Allen in 2010-11 ahead of him at the 1/2. A struggling Bass was ahead of Sullinger.

Glen Davis even got some minutes as a rookie during the title run.

I still agree that Sullinger is a player though. And he has potential to be as impactful overall as Bradley.

Glenn Davis played 13 minutes a game in his rookie season. And most of that was 4th quarter mop up duty as we were blowing teams out almost nightly back then. Avery's rookie year Nate Robinson was getting 18min/game.

Sullinger has Bass, Collins, Green, KG, and Wilcox fighting for playing time. All veterans and all outplayed with the exception of KG.

Plus you have to factor in that refs haven't been kind to Sully and he has lost some playing time to questionable fouls.

My overall point being, name another rookie who Doc has given significant time to their rookie season. Maybe back in Rondo's first year, but since the big three got together he has barely let rookies see the floor.

I recall Davis getting minutes in meaningful parts of many games as a rookie. He and Powe were practically taking turns as the primary backup to KG.

As for this year, Green stinks as a 4, KG is limited to 29 minutes per night, Wilcox is injured, Collins is old and pretty bad, and Bass (a career backup forced to be a starter) was in a funk for a month or 2. The 4/5 positions are at their weakest since the big 3 era started.

Nonetheless, I am agreeing that Sullinger is good. I just wouldn't make too big a deal about how quickly he has earned minutes yet, when comparing his ceiling to Bradley's. Also, Bradley was a raw freshman when he entered the NBA. Sullinger, a sophomore. That 1 year makes a pretty big difference.

Also, I'm not convinced Sullinger can be a scorer on the block. I just don't think he his big or fast enough. But I really like his rebounding and smart instincts as a role player. I'm glad he's a Celtic.

Whatever minutes Baby got, they were only 13. Sully is at 18.

I didn't think Larry Johnson would be able to score at the NBA level either. He was and presumably still is a lot shorter than Sully. He'll learn how to carve out space and get quick shots up. He already has a pretty good outside shot if the Celtics would unleash him a little bit more. Right now he seems content just doing the dirty work.

My overall point being, name another rookie who Doc has given significant time to their rookie season. Maybe back in Rondo's first year, but since the big three got together he has barely let rookies see the floor.

Rondo got minutes, Big Baby got some decent playing time and even E'twaun Moore (as a second rounder) got some useful playing time realtive to his productivity.

Bradley didn't play much his rookie season because he was injured

I would suggest that the lack of playign time for Rookie's in Doc's system is not because they are rookies, but because they play like rookies. In the past 5 seasons this teams entire mindset has been champtionship, not future development, so Doc would rather play proven players with experience rather than raw rookies who are still green.

Sullinger is rare for a rookie in that he has incredibly high IQ, he plays with incredibly high effort levels and he buys into the team system - he's happy to do all the little things to help the team rather than being obsessed with getting his shots or getting highlight plays. Sully plays like a veteran, and that's why Doc plays him like a veteran.

If they were trying to showcase their young guys purely to increase their trade value then Doc would be playing Melo out there too.

Simply truth is that Sullinger has (far) outplayed Bass this season, and he has been our best player at the Pf position.